Sunday, March 17, 2013

Relooking at MCF's strategy for development.

Lets try to get some context first.

Olympiad 2010. Greg had just returned from the Olympiad and working together we had successfully implemented written selection for NAG and he was still gung ho. He then told me of the going on's at the Olympiads. How the really bad attitude of the senior players there resulted in such a disgraceful performance. He described the scene of players wanting to do business deals, sell books and not wanting to play etc.

Mal/Sing Jan 1st 2011. Greg and I were having tea tarik and he told me about how many of our senior players cannot cut it anymore giving me names, including Mas and Mok, and the results of the tournaments they played in.

And then he put in written selection for SEA games 2011. And after the fall out he reversed his position.

The point is that it is known that our senior players don't have what it takes anymore. And that is why some felt so threatened of the training by a fighting GM for our Juniors to the point of attempting to sabotage it. That is why they responded to Sumant winning the SEA games selection by rejecting him in the Malaysian squad team event at Datmo and included Mok who was knocked out by Sumant. The message is clear. Don't try to win on the board or we will hammer you. And this time even Greg has joined in the fray. Ref: Here.

Now can you understand why they only harp on fat numbers? This is simply because they have the means to manufacture it. Not convinved yet? Then also look at why they cannot play at selection. Why do they avoid NC and NJ? That is their way. Use the numbers to avoid competition. If they play and lose the spell is broken. Look at the results of the local tournaments if there is a strong field. Ref: Here. And how did Jimmy do at the last Olympiads?

Now lets look at the system in a neighbouring Country. Ref: Here. See the bold section. You see there is a major difference. They have to play in selection. If they don't do well overseas they are pulled back for repairs. Then they have to prove themselves again in strong local tournaments before they are allowed to go out on sponsorship once more.

In Malaysia they play in Veterans, play in select tournaments, flash fat numbers etc. Anything to avoid selection.

That is wrong and there is no way around this MCF. Today we can all follow the games around the world. So implement a proper system. My assertion is that there are no seniors in the Malaysian squad today that deserves a bye (preselection) anymore. So all of them must play in an Open field at NC. Sumant has shown us this at the last SEA games selection. So don't hammer him. Appreciate that he is just helping us to wake up from our slumber. We have many strong players today if we give them a chance.

Now lets talk about Li Tian's and Zhuo Ren's back door into the Olympiads. Is that a good thing? What is the message here? Don't try to win in selection for senior squad and we will give you a place. We don't want anyone from the outside playing on the Malaysian Team that can report on our business deals and book selling etc.

(But we can see your games on the internet. There is no place to hide.)

Do you share my concern that if Li Tian goes down that road, then we will just see another Jimmy and Peter over time? So let him play at NJ. Let him earn his stripes. Then when he wins we can all call him the strongest junior. Not from PR campaigns and demonstration games. That doesn't count. And it is also tainted if others are sabotaged for him to achieve that success.

What does NM mean today if the field there is weak? We want all the seniors to play at NC before they are allowed to play for the Country. A proper selection. Then if they stop playing they fall behind and someone else will take their place. Iron sharpen iron.

So what is the use of Mas's development program given at the AGM if all these issues are not addressed. Is it really the answer that we will only develop our kids until Junior level? Towards the end of your Junior days, we will sabotage you or ban you so you will never be given the chance to overtake the seniors? Is that your development plan MCF?

That all of the chess community have to wait upon the retirement of the seniors. The seniors do not have to compete. They will still play for the Country so long as they are able to manufacture fat numbers. Isn't that the plan to developing a fat number industry and not a plan to developing strong Malaysian chess players and the future Malaysian GM?

So Greg, you knew all this back in 2010 and 2011. You had a good plan going. We were getting stronger. So what if Jimmy and Peter feels threatened? MCF's plan for development must be for all Malaysian chess players. If those 2 or any other senior does not make the cut and cannot play strong chess anymore then they cannot be shown the back door in again. MCF does not belong to them. MCF belongs to Malaysia. That is why we fly our flag when our players go out.

Why the change in direction in 2012 Olympiad, back to the days and ways of failure? What happened after SEA games selection Greg? What happened to make you change your mind to the point you are now even actively sabotaging our own Juniors? Why couldn't Sumant go to Asian Junior?